Apple- Function and Form Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Apple- Function and Form - Essay Example The company has also diversified in its business areas such as development of mobile devices, iPod and iPhones applying the notion of differentiation in its business-level strategies. There are various advantages and disadvantages of differentiation to the company. A productive differentiation strategy is one of the strengths of Apple. The implementation of this strategy has resulted in the expansion of its product line from personal computers to mobile communication devices, software applications and operating systems. Moreover, the differentiation strategy has led to development of premium price for its products. The premium price is the process, which comprises a hike in the price of products so that a positive and healthy perception can be created among the buyers of the company. The company is also renowned for its highly efficient personnel. Apple had also created numerous products with advanced technology so that its customers are satisfied at the full (Bertone, 2009). Apple faces the negative effects of the imitation strategies practiced by its rival companies. This can be curbed through the adoption of focus strategy, which emphasizes a particular market segment, so as to build its customers’ loyalty to a greater extent (Baxter & Wainwright, 2013). In addition, the company has faced strong competition regardless of the adoption of differentiation strategy. Apple has also failed to consider the price conscious buying behaviour of its customers. This has culminated in loss of cost leadership due to enticing of customers through price reduction. Moreover, the differentiation strategy has led to change of customer preferences, which has reduced the demand of some products. Apple should maintain the application of Porter’s Generic strategies framework. In addition, the company should fully adopt the differentiation strategy and emphasize on its innovative strengths

Building Teams and Resolving Conflict Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Building Teams and Resolving Conflict - Essay Example Furthermore, conflict resolution is a critical aspect of businesses in the contemporary world. This is owing to the fact that there is increased diversity in the workplace resulting to increased chances of conflict. An effective manager will have the solution to conflicts arising in the workplace. If he fails to do so, he will have failed his duty as a manager. This paper discusses some of the major reasons behind managers’ failures. One of the salient reasons for manager’s failure is poor communication skills. Managers who are passive communicators fail to pass the message across to their employees that reflect in poor performance that may eventually lead to failure (Dotlich and Cairo, 2007). Ineffectual managers tend to have poor communication skills as they do not listen to what the employees have to say and do not share their thoughts with them (Gallos, 2008). Decisions made by such managers are unilateral and employees cannot express their dissatisfaction and this impacts negative on the entity’s performance. There are those managers that lack authority and may fail to apply influential skills to face the problems in the organization. Managers who do not address the attitudes and feelings of employees are likely to fail as they face looming resistance from the employees. Conflict among employees is inevitable and managers should be prepared to deal with such situations once they arise. Employee conflicts have been an increasing phenomenon in the modern world owing to increasing diversity in the present times (Moley, Pietri and Mosley, 2010). If managers do not have the skills to handle employee conflicts effectively, they will fail as the work place will become chaotic and this will adversely affect the manager’s performance. Precisely, the way a manager handles conflict determines whether they will succeed or fail. A considerable number of managers experience flourishing

Nursing Essays Therapeutic Relationship Patient

Nursing Essays Therapeutic Relationship Patient Introduction Within the context of healthcare one of the most important factors is the establishment of an effective therapeutic relationship between the nurse and patient (Foster Hawkins, 2005). The ways in which nursing staff and patients interact can be influential in terms of information transfer, provision of psychological support, and may also provide some therapeutic benefits in themselves (Welch, 2005). Hence, there has been a renewed focus on the importance of how nurses interact with patients in practice, in order to enhance patient outcomes (Nursing and Midwifery Council, 2008; Sutcliffe, 2011). Understanding the fundamental components of this relationship and how to achieve these components in practice remains a vital aspect of nurse training and continuing professional development (Ramjan, 2004; Perraud et al., 2006). In accordance with the perceived importance of the therapeutic relationship, the aim of this paper is to provide an evidence-based review of how this relationship may be used in nursing practice. This will be supplemented with a reflection on personal observations made by the author, utilising a reflective model (Nielsen et al., 2007). The model in this case will be that devised by Gibbs (1988), which has been validated as a useful tool for personal practice development and goal-setting in the clinical domain (Foster Hawkins, 2005). This model emphasises a step-wise approach to reflection, encompassing: description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion and action plan formulation (Gibbs, 1988). Therefore, this paper will consider the therapeutic relationship from the perspective of a specified practice context experienced by the author, with a discussion of how practice can be improved based on the best available evidence from the literature. Reflection context The main context of care that will be the focus of this essay is the elderly rehabilitation ward, where the author first encountered a number of issues regarding the need for optimal relationships between practitioners and patients in practice. The goal of this ward is to assist elderly patients in adapting to their functional capacities and lifestyle abilities, in order that they can achieve the maximum possible degree of quality of life in the community setting following discharge (Routasalo et al., 2004). Consequently, numerous health professionals provide an input into the care pathway, including physiotherapists, occupational therapists and physicians, in addition to nursing staff (Hershkovitz et al., 2007). From the perspective of the author, there are several important aspects of this scenario that relate to the therapeutic relationship: the large increase in personal responsibilities in terms of assisting patients with activities, the need to motivate and communicate effectively with patients to ensure that they are able to remain psychologically motivated, and the need to coordinate personal clinical care activities with those of others to ensure the patient journey is smooth (Siegert Taylor, 2004). The remainder of this paper will consider the therapeutic relationship grounded within this practice context, supplemented with personal experiences from this placement, in order to highlight these factors in greater detail. Evidence-based reflection Defining the therapeutic relationship In order to fully appreciate the need for a therapeutic relationship it is important to define this relationship in a practice context. The term is often used within the context of psychiatric or psychological therapy distribution in modern literature, although the aim of this paper is to consider the term as a more general way in which nurses communicate and interact with patients to establish a clear clinical outcome (Bulmer Smith et al., 2009). McKlindon Barnsteiner (1999) suggest that the therapeutic relationship needs to be a two-way, reciprocal relationship at all times, involving nursing staff, the patient and their family, where appropriate. There is a need to emphasise caring in this relationship, with positive communication and clear boundaries of both personal and professional interactions (McCormack, 2004). Hence, the relationship between a nurse and patient should fit into the patient-centred model of care, where patients are not only listened to within a clinical decision-making context, but are actively encouraged to participate in their own care pathway (McCormack McCance, 2006). The therapeutic relationship encompasses three important domains of care: physical, psychological and emotional care (Pelzang, 2010). These elements may be more profoundly encountered by nursing staff on hospital wards due to their prolonged exposure to specific patients and their in-depth interactions in the patient care journey, when compared to other members of staff who may have less face-to-face time with individuals (Pelzang, 2010). Within the setting of the elderly rehabilitation ward, many patients are transitioning from an acute or chronic care scenario to community care and require additional, specialist assistance in doing so (McCormack, 2003). Consequently, nursing staff in this ward are exposed to patients for extended periods of time and need to consider the holistic aspects of care in order to achieve successful rehabilitation (Cott, 2004). Therefore, the therapeutic relationship in this context involves establishing the capabilities of the patient, working with the patient to achieve set goals, and ensuring that the psychological and emotional aspects of chronic illness or disability can be managed effectively in the long term (McCormack McCance, 2006). Communication In light of the definition of the therapeutic relationship within the context of rehabilitation, the remaining sections of this paper will evaluate the core aspects involved in maintaining a therapeutic relationship, with this section focusing on communication between nurse and patient. The specific clinical scenario the author has struggled with in the rehabilitation placement is when a patient has higher expectations than they should in terms of their ability to perform tasks or live independently following discharge. Patients are obviously passionate in maintaining independence in the majority of cases and this can cloud their judgement as to their genuine abilities and capabilities in functional tasks (Cott, 2004). While it is important to acknowledge the feelings and ideas of a patient and act accordingly, it can be negligent of nursing duties not to act with the patient’s best interests at heart (McCormack, 2003). Therefore, the nurse needs to maintain that their actions are guided by medical evidence and professional protocols, as well as reflecting the need and desires of the patient (NMC, 2008). Communication encompasses not only verbal communication with the patient, but is also reflected in body language and actions (Yoo Chae, 2011). Having an open body posture, including the avoidance of crossed arms, can help in establishing rapport, while maintaining eye contact and avoiding distractions during conversations with patients can enhance the bond between nurse and patient (Brown Bylund, 2008). Communication is also as much about relaying information as it is about receiving information and therefore, nursing staff should be able to elicit patient concerns specifically and utilise these appropriately without blocking these interactions with a one-sided approach to conversation (Yoo Chae, 2011). The opposite is also true, whereby overly expressive patients may limit the nurse-led component of the communication episode; both parties need to be good at communication for a perfect mutual appreciation of ideas to occur (Sheldon et al., 2006). In practice this may be difficult to achieve, but the obligations of the nurse to facilitate this process are a core component of the therapeutic relationship. Communicating effectively with patients in the elderly rehabilitation setting was a massive responsibility and challenge for the author, as this was their first encounter with such patients in this setting. The expectation of knowledge in this setting was high and it could be frustrating to patients who want answers from a junior or inexperienced practitioner (McCormack, 2003; Leach, 2005). Hence communication needed to focus on establishing information, sharing action plans and building general rapport that would enable the development of trust and a mutually beneficial exchange of ideas (Leach, 2005). The author found this form of communication challenging to achieve on a routine basis within the rehabilitation setting, due to the need to balance a motivational approach with a realistic form of communication regarding expected patient capabilities and outcomes. Hence, the reflective scenario will focus on aspects of this particular communication episode as a component of the therapeutic relationship. Empathy Empathy is a cornerstone of effective communication with patients and is defined as the ability to share or identify with the emotional state of the patient (Brunero et al., 2010). If done effectively an empathic response to patient concerns can yield a sense of shared understanding, reinforcing the notion that the patient’s concerns are being listened to (Kirk, 2007). By establishing an empathic response with a patient, practitioners often remark that they are better able to connect with the experiences of the patient, allowing them greater insight into how they can help the patient (Brunero et al., 2010). Therefore, empathy is a core component of establishing a meaningful therapeutic relationship with patients in all settings. The nurse can develop empathic communication skills in a number of ways, including through specific communication skills training (Webster, 2010). This training often emphasises the role of open-ended questions and body language within the context of empathy, whereby nurses should ask patients specifically about their emotions and feelings during a clinical interaction (Stickley Freshwater, 2006). Often the process of asking a patient how they feel about a particular reaction is sufficient to allow them to relax and become more comfortable conveying these thoughts and feelings. On the part of the nurse, it is important to reflect these responses back to the patient by further exploring these issues and offering an active listening approach, rather than redirecting the focus of the conversation back to more clinical matters (Brunero et al., 2010). Although it has been argued that empathy is an intrinsic quality, which some people possess, the representation of empathy in communication is important in clinical care and should be delivered through verbal, non-verbal and emotional communication skills (Welch, 2005). In the present scenario, the author was able to empathise with patients on the rehabilitation ward to a high degree and many patients were frank and open about their emotional needs and worries regarding the rehabilitation process. Often the patients’ worries were highly emotive and this affected the author such that the patient was regarded as an object of sympathy or pity in some cases due to their hardships. This made the author feel uncomfortable during patient interactions for a number of reasons: firstly, because it was an emotional situation, and secondly because the expectations of the patient with regards to rehabilitation were higher than expected and it was often difficult to address these in a controlled manner. Hence, the reflective experience demonstrates a number of feelings in this situation, which reflect problems with the therapeutic relationship. Trust and respect One of the primary outcomes of the therapeutic relationship is to establish a caring and trusting relationship between the nurse and patient (Brown et al., 2006). Trust is a concept based on respect and openness within this relationship and this often takes time to establish, acting as an extension of the professional respect a patient may hold for a nurse and vice versa (Miller, 2006). Within the context of elderly care rehabilitation, nurses need to establish a strong bond of trust as patients will often have to make compromises in terms of assisted living devices and acceptance of their functional limitations when attempting to optimise their quality of life (Schmalenberg et al., 2005). Unless they trust the healthcare professionals involved in their care they are less likely to adhere to recommendations or to accept help, reducing the potential positive impacts of nursing interventions (McCabe, 2004). Establishing trust within a therapeutic relationship requires time and demands that the practitioner is able to manage their communication skills appropriately to ensure the patient feels that they are listened to and involved in their own care (Brown et al., 2006). Both the practitioner and the patient must be receptive to the idea of trust within the relationship in order for this to be achieved, which often involves addressing barriers to trust, including suspiciousness of the intentions of healthcare professionals, poor communication, and mutual respect on a personal level (Miller, 2006). When a trusting relationship is achieved there is a greater chance that patients will be receptive to clinical interventions and nursing input, at least when delivered on a personal level (Wolf Zuzelo, 2006). Equally, nursing staff can trust that patients will make informed decisions about their care and will follow guidance, when appropriate (Schmalenberg et al., 2005). Within the present reflective context, the author felt as though there was a distinct lack of trust in the therapeutic relationship, primarily due to the fact that a patient would often wish for their expectations to be met without heeding specific nursing advice on several occasions. This was likely secondary to the fact that the author found it difficult to convey these ideas in a sensitive manner, while addressing the concerns of the patient in an empathic way. Hence, it can be perceived that the patient and nurse did not enter a trusting relationship, as communication between the two was suboptimal (McCabe, 2004). However, on a more positive note, the relationships formed with patient during the initial days on placement were friendly and demonstrated a degree of mutual respect, which is an important facet of the therapeutic relationship (Stickley Freshwater, 2006). Hence, there were positive and negative aspects to the therapeutic relationships formed in practice during this placement, according to a reflective evaluation. To make sense of this situation, the author analysed these positive and negative factors within this context. What was clear to the author was that the communication skills that had been utilised so far in therapeutic relationship building relied heavily on patient factors, rather than nursing input. Hence, there was an imbalance in the way information was presented and received within this relationship, to the detriment of the therapeutic journey. The reasons for poor communication and trust establishment stemmed from multiple factors, including the younger age of the author compared to patients, relative inexperience on the part of the author, and the highly charged emotional nature of interactions in this setting. Therefore, it was clear that one of the main factors that was missing in the therapeutic relationships was the projection of a strong professional identity, which could guide the patient towards a suitable clinical outcome and would assist in developing the appropriate communication tools for the rehabilitation process. Professional values While it is clear that the need for the therapeutic relationship stems from a desire to form a constructive clinical partnership with a patient in a specific context, there is also a professional responsibility to engage patients in this manner in practice (Chitty Black, 2007). The Nursing and Midwifery Council (2008) advocate communication, trust, dignity and respect during the treatment of all patients as a fundamental aspect of care delivery and therefore establishing a therapeutic relationship can be considered a core aspect of all nursing practice (Fahrenwald et al., 2005). However, within the context of effective nursing practice it is recognised that there is a need to respect the personal boundaries of the patient and to act as a professional rather than a friend in most cases (Rushton, 2006). Professionalism in the context of rehabilitation care includes the need to be realistic with regards to patient expectations, while ensuring appropriate levels of motivation and commitment to a therapeutic plan (Fahrenwald et al., 2005; Rushton, 2006). For some practitioners, an overly empathic response to patients and their condition can lead to sympathy and warped clinical decision making processes, often favouring the opinion of the patient over established guidance (Bulmer Smith et al., 2009). This is likely to have a detrimental impact on the patient in the long term and should be avoided as a result. Within the Gibbs reflective cycle (1988), the author has noted that one of the main conclusions that can be drawn from working within the rehabilitation sphere is that maintenance of professional values and boundaries is essential to avoid becoming overly emotional or inappropriately involved in patient care (Stickley Freshwater, 2006; Baker et al., 2008). The author should try not to become too attached to patients during their care journey in order to make an objective assessment of their capabilities and therapeutic needs, as relying too heavily on the opinions and desires of the patient can yield unsatisfactory results in the long term, particularly when these go against recommended practice (Leach, 2005). By applying more rigorous professional boundaries in the future, and focusing on explaining complex situations from a nursing perspective, rather than yielding to the patients’ wishes, the author can improve their contribution to practice in the long term and enhance the patient journey through rehabilitation. Conclusion In summary, this paper has considered the personal experiences of the author within the context of a reflective practice episode in order to appreciate the value and tenets of the therapeutic relationship in practice. The core components of the therapeutic relationship, as they relate to the present scenario, have been discussed with reference to the evidence base in order to develop a constructive reflective episode reflecting a description of events, feeling, evaluation, analysis and conclusion. The process of reflection should yield a suitable action plan and in this case the author feels that they should engage with patients in a more professional manner, ensuring that they maintain an empathic and understanding approach to care while maintaining nursing boundaries. In order to achieve this, communication skills should be enhanced in the future, through attendance at specific communication skills courses, in order to become more comfortable in managing potential conflicts or hostility. This should enhance the therapeutic relationship and ensure that future patients can be managed in a manner that benefits all members of the relationship. Furthermore, it is important that the author is aware of how other colleagues maintain professional boundaries and can direct their relationship accordingly in practice, and consultation with colleagues on this point would be a useful learning tool. On completion of these tasks, the author should therefore feel better prepared to engage with patients in a meaningful way, ensuring that trust is developed and that patients have an effective care process, in all areas of care. References Baker, C., Pulling, C., McGraw, R., Dagnone, J. D., Hopkins†Rosseel, D., Medves, J. (2008). Simulation in interprofessional education for patient†centred collaborative care. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 64(4), 372-379. Brown, D., White, J., Leibbrandt, L. (2006). Collaborative partnerships for nursing faculties and health service providers: what can nursing learn from business literature?. Journal of Nursing Management, 14(3), 170-179. Brown, R. F., Bylund, C. L. (2008). Communication skills training: describing a new conceptual model. Academic Medicine, 83(1), 37-44. Brunero, S., Lamont, S., Coates, M. (2010). A review of empathy education in nursing. Nursing Inquiry, 17(1), 65-74. Bulmer Smith, K., Profetto-McGrath, J., Cummings, G. G. (2009). Emotional intelligence and nursing: An integrative literature review. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 46(12), 1624-1636. Chitty, K. K., Black, B. P. (2007). Professional nursing: concepts challenges. London: WB Saunders Co. Cott, C. (2004). Client-centred rehabilitation: client perspectives. Disability Rehabilitation, 26(24), 1411-1422. Fahrenwald, N. L., Bassett, S. D., Tschetter, L., Carson, P. P., White, L., Winterboer, V. J. (2005). Teaching core nursing values. Journal of Professional Nursing, 21(1), 46-51. Foster, T., Hawkins, J. (2005). The therapeutic relationship: dead or merely impeded by technology?. British Journal of Nursing, 14 (13), 698-702. Gibbs, G. (1988). Learning by doing: a guide to teaching and learning methods. Further Education Unit. Oxford Polytechnic: Oxford Hershkovitz, A., Kalandariov, Z., Hermush, V., Weiss, R., Brill, S. (2007). Factors affecting short-term rehabilitation outcomes of disabled elderly patients with proximal hip fracture. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 88(7), 916-921. Kirk, T. W. (2007). Beyond empathy: clinical intimacy in nursing practice.Nursing Philosophy, 8(4), 233-243. Leach, M. J. (2005). Rapport: a key to treatment success. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 11(4), 262-265. McCabe, C. (2004). Nurse–patient communication: an exploration of patients’ experiences. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 13(1), 41-49. McCormack, B. (2003). A conceptual framework for person†centred practice with older people. International Journal of Nursing Practice, 9(3), 202-209. McCormack, B. (2004). Person†centredness in gerontological nursing: an overview of the literature. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 13 (s1), 31-38. McCormack, B., McCance, T. V. (2006). Development of a framework for person†centred nursing. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 56 (5), 472-479. Miller, J. F. (2006). Opportunities and obstacles for good work in nursing.Nursing Ethics, 13(5), 471-487. Nielsen, A., Stragnell, S., Jester, P. (2007). Guide for reflection using the clinical judgment model. The Journal of Nursing Education, 46(11), 513-516. Nursing and Midwifery Council (2008). Code of Professional Conduct. Available at: http://www.nmc-uk.org/aDisplayDocument.aspx?documentID=5982 [accessed 6 th October 2014] Pelzang, R. (2010). Time to learn: understanding patient-centred care. British Journal of Nursing, 19(14), 912. Perraud, S., Delaney, K. R., Carlson†Sabelli, L., Johnson, M. E., Shephard, R., Paun, O. (2006). Advanced practice psychiatric mental health nursing, finding our core: The therapeutic relationship in 21st century. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 42(4), 215-226. Ramjan, L. M. (2004). Nurses and the ‘therapeutic relationship’: Caring for adolescents with anorexia nervosa. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 45(5), 495-503. Routasalo, P., Arve, S., Lauri, S. (2004). Geriatric rehabilitation nursing: developing a model. International Journal of Nursing Practice, 10(5), 207-215. Rushton, C. H. (2006). Defining and addressing moral distress: tools for critical care nursing leaders. AACN Advanced Critical Care, 17 (2), 161-168. Schmalenberg, C., Kramer, M., King, C. R., Krugman, M., Lund, C., Poduska, D., Rapp, D. (2005). Excellence through evidence: securing collegial/collaborative nurse-physician relationships, part 2. Journal of Nursing Administration, 35(11), 507-514. Sheldon, L. K., Barrett, R., Ellington, L. (2006). Difficult communication in nursing. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 38(2), 141-147. Siegert, R. J., Taylor, W. J. (2004). Theoretical aspects of goal-setting and motivation in rehabilitation. Disability Rehabilitation, 26(1), 1-8. Stickley, T., Freshwater, D. (2006). The art of listening in the therapeutic relationship: The role of the modern mental health nurse is becoming more technical when, argue Theodore Stickley and Dawn Freshwater, what would really benefit patients is the often misunderstood art of listening. Mental Health Practice, 9(5), 12-18. Sutcliffe, H. (2011). Understanding the NMC code of conduct: a student perspective. Nursing Standard, 25(52), 35-39. Webster, D. (2010). Promoting empathy through a creative reflective teaching strategy: a mixed-method study. The Journal of Nursing Education, 49(2), 87-94. Welch, M. (2005). Pivotal moments in the therapeutic relationship. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 14(3), 161-165. Wolf, Z. R., Zuzelo, P. R. (2006). â€Å"Never again† stories of nurses: dilemmas in nursing practice. Qualitative Health Research, 16(9), 1191-1206. Yoo, M. S., Chae, S. M. (2011). Effects of peer review on communication skills and learning motivation among nursing students. The Journal of Nursing Education, 50(4), 230-233.

Rodgers and Hammerstein Essay -- essays research papers

Rodgers and Hammerstein Collaborations Oklahoma! The first collaboration of Rodgers and Hammerstein was entitled Oklahoma! The idea of the musical came from a play called Green Grow the Lilacs, written by Lynn Riggs in 1931. This story is about the state of Oklahoma at the turn of the century, when the Indian Territory joined the United States. It is the story of a girl named Laurey Williams and her (sort of) love triangle with two boys by the names of Curley McClain and Jud Fry. Laurey is in love with Curley, but she attends a dance with Jud instead. At the dance, Curley surprised Laurey by bidding an enormous amount on the basket of food she has prepared. They soon marry, and after the wedding, Jud starts a fight with Curley, but he loses. Jud is accidentally stabbed, but Curley was acquitted. Curley and his new wife live happily ever after in the great place of Oklahoma.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This musical opened at St. James Theatre on March 31, 1943 and ran for 2,212 performances. It was directed by Rouben Mamoulain and choreographed by Agnes de Mille. Oklalahoma! became so popular that it was decided to make it into a movie. The movie would be pretty similar, including some of the musical’s famous songs, such as â€Å"Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’,† â€Å"The Surrey With the Fringe on Top,† â€Å"People Will Say We’re In Love,† and â€Å"Oklahoma.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The film version of the same name was released October 11, 1955. Agnes de Mille again, choreographed it. Shirley Jones played the role of Laurey Williams, while Gordon MacRea played Curley McClain. Carousel On April 19, 1945 the musical Carousel opened at the Majestic Theatre in New York. It was based on the play entitled Liliom by Ferenc Molnar. This was a story about a young man named Billy Bigelow and his young wife Julie Jordan. Billy is a carnival barker, but soon looses his job. This upsets him because he knows that Julie is about to have a child, so he attempts to get more money by means of robbery. He then is forced to kill himself to escape arrest. Billy then goes to Heaven. Some time later, Billy is allowed to go back to earth for only 24 hours to see his unhappy daughter Louise, who is 15 years old. Billy steals a star to give to his daughter, but she refuses it. He slaps her in the face, but she isn’t upset by the action. Billy gets to know his daughter and gives her a better... ... and Hammerstein was also their last. The musical came from â€Å"The Trapp Family Singers,† by Maria Augusta Trapp. It opened on November 16, 1959 in New York and ran for 1,443 performances.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This was the story of a girl named Maria Rainer who is sent to the house of a widower named Capt. Georg Von Trapp, to watch over his children. They both fall in love with each other, but say nothing because Georg is engaged to a wealthy woman named Elsa Schraeder. They realize they are in love, and soon get married. They are forced to leave Austria because it has been invaded by the Germans. Georg must return to the navy. The two and the children escape the Germans.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many songs were incorporated into the story line, such as â€Å"The Sound of Music,† â€Å"My Favorite Things,† and â€Å"So Long, Farewell.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Sound of Music soon became a film. It premiered on March 2, 1965. Julie Andrews played the part of Maria, who played Cinderella before. There has been at least one revival since, on March 16, 1998 in New York. http://www.geocities.com/ding3371/ http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/Booth/7900/

Expository essay abt traveling

Mark Jason Barias Expository Essay 2-13 sept. 11, '13 I'm not really into travelling but I love to experience living in another country and discover new things. I always wanted to try something different. I have been to Malaysia last Christmas vacation. Honestly, it was the first time in my life going out of the country. I missed some of the fun visiting other countries because of my busy high school life. I am studying as a seminarian back then and my schedules Just won't come together. It was so disappointing knowing that my family re enjoying their summer vacation while I do my homework.Malaysia, I would say is more like the Philippines. There were old taxis, like those in Manila. I won't forget when we rode a taxi and the driver asked for an expensive fare (which we didn't know at that time), taking advantage of the tourists' ignorance. For me, vacation isn't complete without tasting their best delicacies. Though the food is expensive, it was worth it because of the unique taste and aroma of their food. In our country, food is also expensive depending on the type and quality. Pagkaing Pinoy is also delicious.Singapore, which is Just a six-hour bus ride from Malaysia is breath-taking. The tall infrastructures tell that Singapore is a very successful country. I would say that the surrounding is cleaner there compared here in the Philippines specifically Manila. You won't be late in going to your work or school because there are no traffic. You'll be amazed to be able to tour the whole Singapore in 45 minutes, yes, it is smaller than our capital city, yet, it's more organized. People. Singaporeans are more disciplined.Normal people live in apartments ecause if they buy a property in Singapore, it will take them millions of dollars. Only rich people have private properties there. Malaysians are more warm and friendly. Us, Filipinos are the most hospitable. In terms of the natural resources, we are the richest. Though the others also have forests, our forests ar e much larger. We also have the Philippine Eagle while Singapore has the white tiger. Some would say that living in other countries is better than staying here but I would still say, â€Å"It's more fun in the Philippines! † Expository essay abt traveling By ceeshore

Certainty and Insanity: Hamlet Essay

With no way to be absolutely certain about anything in life, it makes it hard to deliver the justice some may need. In William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, Hamlet never allows himself to come to an absolute certainty that Claudius killed his father. Whether it was his insanity or his morals, he is unable to take retribution for the murder of his father, which helps drive him insane. By not taking justice into his own hands, Hamlet’s indecision, and his insanity, ultimately leads him to his own death. When Hamlet first meets with the ghost of his father and hears the story of his death, he doesn’t want to believe the ghost outright. Upon finding out that Claudius has killed his father, Hamlet could have simply went to the Kings’ bedroom and slit his throat while he slept. He ignored this opportunity, which allowed his mind to begin questioning his actions. This is the first time Hamlet will delay the killing of Claudius. He begins to slip into insanity, which paralyzes his actions. Hamlet explains that the time for action isn’t right when he is speaking with Horatio the night he first saw the ghost. â€Å"The time is out of joint. O cursed spite, / That ever I was born to set it right† (I. v. 88-89). Hamlet explains that he understands that the situation of seeing the ghost or even the story may not be right, but he feels like he is the person to fix it. This puts a great deal of pressure on Hamlet, which starts the downward spiral of his insanity. Hamlet faces many dilemmas during the course of the play. He has the dilemma of having to come to terms with losing his father. He then has to deal with the anger he has towards his mother for her quick remarriage. Then when Hamlet finds out that his mother’s new husband, his uncle, was the murderer, he isn’t able to deal with any more. With dilemmas keep piling on top of one another, Hamlet has a psychotic break. As Ophelia explains it to her father, My Lord, as I was sewing in my closet, Lord Hamlet, with his doublet all unbraced; No hat upon his head; his stockings fouled, Ungartered, and down-gyved to his ankle; Pale as his shirt; his knees knocking each other; With a look so piteous in purport As if he had been loosed out of hell To speak of horrors, he comes before me. (II, i, 77-84) In this explanation, one begins to understand that Hamlet has been unable to deal with the death of his father, much less the fact that he was murdered by his uncle. The behaviors exhibited by Hamlet are not the actions a normal person would have, especially one of royalty. As Edward Foster explains, â€Å"That Hamlet loses his mental stability is arguable from his behavior toward Ophelia †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Foster, par 17). A person not suffering from some form of psychosis would have been more put together and rational. Hamlet’s insanity allows him to sink into a reality that isn’t real, â€Å"†¦.results in the development if a sense of unreality in the affected individual† (â€Å"Hamlet†, par 2) While the ghosts’ story shouldn’t have left any doubt in Hamlet’s mind, he is still uncertain that Claudius did commit the act, fearing that the ghost could be the devil in disguise, just trying to make him a murderer. So in a poorly devised plan, Hamlet thinks he knows a way to get absolute certainty that Claudius killed his father. Hamlet’s plan is, â€Å"There is a play tonight before the king. / One scene of it comes near the circumstance / Which I have told thee of my father’s death† (III, ii. 68-70). This plan is used to gauge Claudius’s reaction, so as to tell if he has a guilty conscious or not. This is where Hamlet’s sanity is furthered questioned. If Claudius’s realizes this is Hamlet’s actions, then he can assume Hamlet knows about his terrible deed, and may send for him to be executed. John Alvis agrees by stating, â€Å"†¦Hamlet’s deeds appear ill considered and politically feeble† (par 9). While that does happen later, Hamlet gets the proof he needs, when Claudius stands during the play and exclaims, â€Å"Give me some light, away!† (III, ii, 252) The next time that Hamlet delays in killing Claudius, it is because he finds Claudius kneeling in prayer after the play. Hamlet assumes Claudius is asking repentance for the killing of his father, thus would still get to walk through Heaven’s gate with a pure and clean soul. Hamlet knows that his father wasn’t afforded this luxury by his words in Act 1 when the ghost said, â€Å"†¦ Cut off even in the blossoms of my sin, / †¦/ No reckoning made, but sent to my account / With all my imperfections on my head† (I, v. 76-79). While King Hamlet was robbed of his chance to repent his sins,  young Hamlet would not be so easy to allow Claudius to die after being forgiven of his. â€Å"†¦ he believes that Claudius, killed at prayer, would not be damned to hell.† (â€Å"Hamlet† par 2) Hamlet believes that allowing Claudius to go to heaven would be just as bad as if he murdered his father. Although Claudius’s reaction is enough certainty for almost anyone, the freak out by Claudius still doesn’t satisfy Hamlet. If Hamlet was clear minded, he would be able to see the truth and complete his promise to his father. Hamlet continues to allow doubt to dictate his actions. â€Å"Contagion to this world. Now I could drink hot blood / And do such bitter business as the bitter day / Would quake to look on †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (III, ii, 365-367) The words Hamlet uses do not show the stability that he thinks he has. Hamlet’s insanity plays such a vital role in his delay of justice against Claudius. He is so wound up in his own mind that he has a hard time accepting that he is the reason of his delay. He spends so much time plotting and planning, he can never really convince himself to do the act. He is also stuck in a realm of pity. Poor, poor Hamlet. He shows this in his soliloquy: †¦ Am I a coward? Who calls me â€Å"villain†? Breaks my pate across? Plucks off my beard and blows it in my face? Tweaks me by the nose? Gives me the lie i’ th’ throat? As deep as to the lungs? Who does me this? Ha! ‘Swounds, I should take it, for it cannot be But I am pigeon-livered and lack gall To make the oppression bitter, or ere this I should have fatted all the region kites With this slave’s offal. Bloody, bawdy villain! (II, ii, 547-557) His self-pity blinds him to his task, and allows the pressures of that task to take over, and allows him to sink into insanity a little more. He knows that he should have already taken Claudius’s life, but because his cowardliness, he has failed to do it, and in turn, sinks further in his self-pity. As Hamlet’s madness continues, his delay makes him responsible for the  deaths of so many others. Had he killed Claudius sooner, the life of his mother, Polonius and Ophelia could have been saved. As Alvis explains, â€Å"By his delay Hamlet has contributed to his mother’s death, and by his own imprudent decisions he has made himself responsible for the murder of Polonius, the consequent madness and death of Ophelia†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (par 12). With that weighing on Hamlet’s mind, he would not have been able to return to a state of sanity anyway, as he had such a guilty conscious anyway. Through all of Hamlet’s delay, he finally makes good on his promise of revenge in the final acts of the play. As Foster explains, â€Å"†¦ he strikes his uncle only after he has discovered Claudius’s final scheme to kill him† (Foster, par 17). While Hamlet has delayed his killing of Claudius throughout the entire play, it wasn’t until the very end of the play that he asserts his authority and locks the door upon his mother dying, â€Å"O villainy! Ho, let the door be locked. / Treachery! Seek it out† (V, ii, 313-314). Laertes then explains the plot of Claudius to kill Hamlet, and he forces Claudius to drink his own poison. This is a certain type of justice in its own. Karma, let’s say. In the play Hamlet, many things take place that alert the audience to the instability of Hamlet. Upon losing his father, his mother quickly remarried her late husband’s brother. Hamlet’s father came back as a ghost to tell Hamlet that he was damned to hell because his brother had killed him. He promised his father that he would seek revenge for his death. All of these things mount together and place a heavy burden on Hamlet. As he progressively gets worse, he begins to alienate everyone in his life, feeding them stories and dancing around questions. He denies things he has given to Ophelia, and denies he had ever loved her. The one person who he trusts the most and the only person he allows to be a part of his plan is Horatio. Horatio is the balance for Hamlet. When it appears Hamlet has gone a little too far, Horatio is able to center him and bring him back to this realm of reality. Hamlet has delayed the death of Claudius because of insanity, but also because of his sanity. Wavering between the two, Hamlet never allows himself the chance to accept his duties. He never actually commits the revenge as promised, but the job does get done in the end.